Road Condiions at Forest Park Sub-Divison

"Letter to Elbert County Commissioner John Shipper"  Wednesday, April 22, 2009 @ 11:33 AM

Mr. Shipper,

My name is Julie Proffitt, my husband and I spoke with you at a gathering in March at the Elbert County Fairgrounds. We discussed the road conditions at Forest Park Sub-Division and was advised to send you an email.

I have worked with Jim/Rick (County Road Department) over the past 3 years and have asked that our roads be plowed correctly (crowned) and the ditches on the sides of the road be done to prevent what has now happened. They continued to blade the roads flat, the ditches are now covered over and no water can drain from the roads and has caused large pools of water over most of the roads.

I was adised by the road department for the past 3 years that they were allowed to cut out the ditches twice a year and we have yet had that done. The culvert by the mailboxes was covered with earth and caused a great deal of damage to the upper portion of the Forest Park road near 86.  Several of the home owners had to dig all the debris/earth and remove it so the water would flow along side the road and not across.

The blading had also caused a very large berm in front of the community mailboxes and after two years we finally had it removed. The Post Office advised it was a hazard for their employees and we needed to keep the front area clear.

I will say that they do blade the road right after a storm to try and keep it from bouncing you and your car to death when you drive on the washboard road.  Two years ago they did spray Mag-Calcium which harden the road and it was good for 1 1/2 years. However since the easements have decreased, the ditches no longer exist and the road can not allow water to drain to the sides we need some help.

If you could please address this issue and have the following done to prevent any further damage to our raods or vehicles.

1. Re-Crown the road for proper drainage
2. Blade and create all the ditches along both sides of the road to assist in the proper drainage as designed from the start   
3. Either have the Mag-Calcium sprayed again to harden the road or consider some other methods of either paving the roads or making sure the workers that plow do not flatten the road as directed to do over the past few years

I would like to thank you in advance for any assistance you could provide the home owners of Forest Park Sub-Division.

The roads in our sub-division are:

• Main Road: Forest Park Drive
• Aspen Place
• Pinon Drive
• Elm Square
• Ash Terrace

If you have any questions please feel free to give me a call. My home and cell phone numbers are provided.

Julie A. Proffitt (Home Owner and President of Forest Park HOA)  

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